Refrigerating apparatus



July 11, 1950 c. F. HENNEY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11, 1946 INVENTOR.

llllllllllllll M 1". 78 BY July 11, 1950 c, HENNEY 2,514,579

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed llay 11, 1946 4 Sheds-Sheet 2 INVENTOK y 1950 c. F. HENNEY 2,514,579

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 11. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

July 1 l, 1950 CrF. HENNEY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 11, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 11, 1950 BEFRIGERATING APPARATUS Charles 1-. Honey, Dayton, Ohio, allignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, corporation of Delaware Ohio, a

Application May 11, 1948, Serial No. 869,070

11 Claims. (Cl. Bit-11'!) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to an improved type of evaporative condenser for use in railway air conditioning and the like.

There are a number of problems present in the design of refrigerating apparatus for use in railway air conditioning which are not normally present in .the design of air conditioning equipment used in other types of installations. Thus in designing air conditioning equipment for use on railway cars, it is of utmost importance to conserve on the amount of space used and it is also important to conserve on the amount of water used for cooling the condenser. Furthermore, the air used for cooling the condenser often contains a large amount of dust and debris which complicates the design of an evaporative type of condenser.

It is an object of this invention to provide a compact evaporative condenser unit in which the arrangement of the baifles within the condenser cabinet facilitates the removal of dirt and dust from the condenser cooling air.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement and design of eliminators and air outlets in an evaporative condenser so as to conserve on water.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement in which the air velocity at the outlets from the cabinet is low enough to prevent droplets of water'from passin through eliminators placed adjacent the outlets. j

A further object of this inventioh is to facilitate efflcient removal of heat from the compressed refrigerant.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing description. reference being had to accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing the spray cabinet within which the condenser is mounted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 3 showing the arrangement within the spray cabinet;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view. with parts broken away, showing the arrangement of parts within the spray cabinet; Fig. 4 is an isometric view, with parts broken away, showing the arrangement of the various water and air directing bailes within the spray cabinet;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the spray cabinet;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the refrigerant circuit;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal. sectional view showing the shape of the eliminator fins; and.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the effect of the eliminators on air flowing between adjacent eliminator fins.

The drawings illustrate apparatus which has been designed especially for use in railway air conditioning but it is apparent that the same or A very similar apparatus may be used in other types of installations equally well. In order to avoid unnecessary details, the views shown in the drawing are all somewhat diagrammatic and omit unimportant structural details.

Referring nrst to Fig. 6 of the drawing wherein I have diagrammatically shown the main parts of the refrigerating system, reference numeral 20 designates the refrigerant compressor which is used for withdrawing refrigerant vapor from the evaporator 22 and for discharging the compressed refrigerant to, the condenser 2'. The evaporator 22 may be mounted in any suitable place so as to supply cooled air to the space to be conditioned within the railway car (not shown) on which the apparatus is adapted to be mounted. "lhe compressed refrigerant leaving the compressor 2| through the line 2| first discharges into a superheat removing coil 24 and then into another superheat removing coil 26 via the line 25 before entering the main condenser 28. The superheat removing coils '24 and 26 may each comprise a relatively flat rectangular unit including a plurality of convolutions of conduit having fins thereon. These coils are employed to remove sensible heat from the refrigerant, created by compressing the gas, prior to its flow into the condenser 28 wherein the compressed fluid is further cooled to cause liquefaction and/or condensation thereof. The condensed refrigerant flows from the condenser and collects in the receiver 30 from whence the liquid refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 22 through the liquid line 32. The flow of refrigerant through the line 32 may be controlled by any conventional refrigerant control device such as the thermostatic expansion valve 24. The valve 34 is provided with the usual form of thermostatic bulb It which serves to close the valve 34 when the refrigerating effect reaches the outlet of the evaporator 22.

As shown in Figs. 1 through 5, the condenser 20 is horizontally disposed within a spray cabinetgenerally designated by the reference numeral 48. The cabinet 40 is provided with an air inlet 42 and a pair of side outlets 43. A removable air filter 44 which serves to filter the incoming air has been placed adjacent the inlet 42.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, a partition 46 is provided within the cabinet 48 for separating the cabinet into a blower compartment 48 and a spray compartment 58. A motor 52 is mounted within the blower compartment 48' and serves to operate a pair of centrifugal fans or blowers 54 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, blow air horizontally through the outlets 55 and into the space beneath the condenser 28.

A condenser spray system 56 is arranged in the upper part of the cabinet so as to spray water downwardly onto the condenser 28 in countercurrent relationship to the condenser cooling air. The excess or unevaporated water drips down from the condenser 28 into the hoppers 58 provided beneath the condenser 28. This excess water eifectively serves to wash 'the incoming air before the air contacts the fins of the condenser 28. As

shown in Fig. 2, a drainboard 60 is arranged for directing this excess water and any entrained dirt into the hoppers 58.

The entire bottom portion of the spray cabinet 40 serves as a sump for the water. The

water which drains into the hoppers 58 can fiow into the main sump through the passages 62 (see Figs. 2 and 4) formed between the lower end of the drainboard 68 and the vertical portions 63 of the hoppers 58. By virtue of this arrangement it is apparent that the heavier dirt particles settle to the bottom of the hoppers 58 with the system through the line 14. A screen or filter element 11 strains out foreign particles from the water which enters the outlet 13. The arrangement of the sprays within the cabinet is such that they may be removed as a unit through the air inlet opening 42 for cleaning and repair purposes by disconnecting the supply line as at 15. It will be noted that the wall 45 is provided with a section 41 (see Fig. 4) which may be removed along with the sprays. Clean-out doors 16 are provided for draining the sediment from the bottoms of the hoppers 58. As shown in Fig. 8 the side walls 59 and SI of the hoppers 58 are tapered so as to direct the sediment towards the cleanout doors 16. Opening of the doors I8 merely drains the water and sediment from the hoppers 58 without draining the entire sump. Make-up water may be supplied to the sump in any conventional manner to compensate for the contaminated water drained from the hopper.

After the air leaves the top of the condenser 28 it is required to change its direction and flow towards the side walls of the cabinet 48 wherein outlets 43 are provided as shown. The one superheat removing coil 24 is arranged adjacent the one side outlet and the other superheat removing coil 26 is arranged adjacent the other side outlet. The receiver 38 (see Figs. 3 and is arranged within the spray compartment 58 so as to be kept cool by the air and drops of water comin from the upper side of condenser 28.

Each superheat removing coil is provided witha 4" eliminator fins 82 (see Fig. 7) which are bent as shown to form a tortuous path for the air leaving the spray cabinet. The bends in the fins are arranged in such a manner that the droplets of water carried along with the air will strike against the fin surfaces and drain off onto the drainboards 83 (Fig. 3) and into the main water sump without being carried along with the air. The outer edges 84 of the fins 82 are bent in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of air flow so as-to intercept any droplets of water not previously eliminated. As shown in Fig. 8, the bent edge portions 84 are long enough .to extend substantially halfway across the space between the straight portion of the fins. It has been found that eliminator fins having an overall length of approximately 2%" in the direction the same figure. By virtue of the arrangement of the bends in the eliminator fins, the air flowing between the fins in the direction of the solid line arrows in Fig. 8 tends to impinge against the end portions 84 so as to drop out any droplets of water which have not already been eliminated from the air. It will be noted that by placing the eliminator fins on the superheat removing coils it is possible to use the eliminator fins for the dual purpose of heat removal and water conservation.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it' is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an air conditioning system, an evapo rator, a compressor, a superheat removing coil, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, compressor, superheat removing coil, and condenser, means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, said connecting means serving to direct refrigerant vapor leaving said compressor into said superheat removing coil and thereafter into said condenser, a casing enclosing said superheat removing coil and said condenser, partition means separating said casing into a fan compartment and a spray compartment, said partition being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments, said condenser being disposed within said spray compartment, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said casing having an air inlet in a wall of said fan compartment and an air outlet in a wall of said spray compartment, said superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent said air outlet, and fan meanswithin said fan compartment for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening, across said condenser in counter-flow relation to water being sprayed in said spray compartment and thereafter across said superheat removing coil to said outlet.

. 2. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a superheat removing coil, a condenser, refrigerant fiow means connecting said evaporator, compressor, superheat removing coil, and condenser, means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, said connecting means serving to direct refrigerant vapor leaving said compressor into said superheat removing coil and thereafter into said condenser, acasing superheat removing coil and said condenser. partition means separating said easing into a fan' compartment and a spray compartment, said.

partition being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments,

said condenserbeing disposed within said spray compartment, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said casing having an air inlet inawallofsaidfancompartmentandanair outlet in a wall of said spray compartment, said superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent said air outlet, and fan means within said fan compartment'for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening, across said condenser in. counter-flow relation to water being sprayed in said spray compartment and thereafter across said superheat removing coil to said outlet, said superheat removing coil being provided with moisture eliminator fins for preventing droplets of water carried by said air from being discharged into the outside atmosphere.

3. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a superheat removing coil, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, compressor, superheat removing coil, and condenser, means for controlling the fiow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, said connectingmeans serving to direct refrigerant vapor leaving said compressor into said superheat removing coil and thereafter into said condenser, a casing enclosing said superheat removing coil and said condenser, partition means separating said casing into a fan compartment and a spray compartment, said partition being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments, said condenser being disposed within said spraycompartment, said casing having an air inlet in a wall of said fan compartment and an air outlet in a wall of said spray compartment, said superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent said air outlet, the lower portion of said casing forming a sump, means for separating said sump into a plurality of compartments, means for pumping water from one of said sump compartments and for spraying the water over the upper side of said condenser, means within said fan compartment for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening, upwardly across said condenser and thereafter across said superheat removing coil to said outlet, means for directing the spray water leaving said condenser into another of said sum compartments which serves as a dirt and debris settling tank, means for draining water from the upper portion of said settling tank into said first mentioned compartment of said sump compartments, said settling tank having a normally closed drain opening in the bottom wall thereof, and said tank having side walls tapering toward said drain opening.

4. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, condenser and compressor, means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, a casing enclosing said condenser, partition means separating said casing into a fan compartment and a spray compartment, said partition means being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments, said condenser being disposed within said spray compartment, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said casing having an air inlet in a wall of said fan compartment and an air out- 6 l let in a wall of said spray compartment, means within said fan compartment for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening, across said condenser in counterflow relation to water being sprayed in said spray /beingflangedinadirectiontocausetheair-tobe imphiigged thereagainst before g from said pa 5. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, condenser and compressor, means for controllingthe flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, a casing enclosing said condenser, partition l means separating said casing into a fan compartment and a spray compartment, said partition means being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments,'said condenser being disposed within said spray compartment, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said casing having an air inlet in a wall of said fan compartment and anair outlet in a wall of said spray compartment, means within said fan compartment for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening,. across said condenser in counter-flow relation to water being sprayed in said spray compartment and thereafter to said outlet, moisture eliminating means located adjacent said outlet for preventing droplets of water carried by said air from being discharged into the atmosphere outside said casing, said eliminating means comprising a plurality of parallel spaced ,fins between which the air passes in its flow to said outlet, said fins being bent to form tortuous paths of flow for said air, the edges of said fins at the exit side of said tortuous air paths being flanged in a direction to cause the air to be impinged thereagainst before egressing from said paths, the bottom of said casing forming a sump for the storage of the spray water, means for pumping water from said sump to said water spraying means, and means for directing the sprayed water and water from said moisture eliminating means back into said sump.

6. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a superheat removing coil, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, compressor, superheat removing coil, and condenser, means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, said connecting means serving to direct refrigerant vapor leaving said compressor into said superheat removing coil and thereafter into said condenser, a casing enclosing said superheat removisg coil and said condenser, partition means separating said easing into a fan compartment and a spray compartment, said partition being provided with an opening afi'ordinq communication between said compartments, said condenser being disposed substantially horizontally within said spray compartment, said casing having an air inlet in a wall of said fan compartment and an air outlet in a wall of said spray compartment, said superheat removing coil bein the upper side of said condenser, means within said fan compartment for fiowing air through said inlet, horizontally through said compartment communicating opening beneath said condenser andupwardlythereacross in said spray compartment and thereafter across said superheat removing coil to said outlet whereby the spray water leaving said condenser serves to wash the air prior to its contact with said condenser, and moisture eliminating means associated with said superheat removing coil for extracting particles of water from the air before said air leaves said casing.

7. In combination, an evaporator, refrigerant translating means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from and for supplying liquid refrigerant to said evaporator including,-a compressor, a superheat removing coil and a, condenser, a

casing enclosing said superheat removing coiland said condenser, said casing having an air inlet Opening and an air. outlet opening, said superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent said air-outlet opening, means for spraying water over surfaces of said condenser, means for circulating air in through said air inlet opening and directing the air into thermal exchange relationship with said condenser in counter-flow relation to water being sprayed thereover and thereafter into thermal exchange relationship with said superheat removing coil, moisture eliminating means for extracting particles of water from the circulating air before said air leaves said casing through said outlet opening, said eliminating means comprising a plurality of parallel spaced fins on said superheat removing coil,'said fins being bent to form tortuous paths of fiow each having an inlet and an outlet for the air flowing over said superheat removing coil, and the edge of each fin at the outlet side of said paths of fiow being flanged in a direction to cause the air to be impinged thereagainst before egressing from said paths.

8. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, refrigerant flow means connecting said evaporator, condenser and compressor, means for controlling" the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, a substantially rectangularly shaped casing enclosing said condenser, partition means separating said casing into a fan compartment and a, spray compartment, said partition means being provided with an opening affording communication between said compartments, said condenser being disposed within said spray compartment, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said casing being provided with an air inlet and a pair of air outlets, said air inlet being'in an upright wall of said fan compartment, one of said pair of air outlets being in an upright wall of said spray compartment, the other of said pair of air outlets being in an upright wall of said spray compartment opposed to the wall having said one outlet therein, means within said fan compartment for flowing air through said inlet, said compartment communicating opening, across said condenser in counterfiow relation to water being sprayed in said spray compartment, and thereafter toward the opposed pair of outlets, and a moisture eliminating means located adjacent each of said outlets for preventing droplets of water carried by said air from 8 being; discharged into atmosphere. outside said casing 9. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and a unitary structure comprising a superheat removing coil and moisture eliminating means associated therewith, refrigerant condu'cting means connecting said evaporator, said compressor, said condenser and said coil of said unitary structure in closed circuit relation, means for controlling the flow- 'meansi'or spraying water onto said condenser,

said casing having an air inlet in one wall thereof and an air outlet in another wall thereof. said unitary structure being disposed adjacent said air outlet, fan means for flowing air through said inlet and across said condenser in counterfiow relation to water being'sprayed thereon and thereafter through said unitary structure, said moisture eliminating means of said unitary structure including a plurality of parallel spaced fins secured in intimate thermal contact with said superheat removing coil thereof and between which the air passes in its flow to said outlet, said fins being bent to form tortuous paths of flow for said air, and the edges of said fins at the exit side of said tortuous air paths being flanged in a direction to cause the air to be impinged thereagainst before egressing from said paths.

10. In an air conditioning system, an. evaporator, a compressor, a superheat removing coil and a condenser, refrigerant conducting means connecting said evaporator, said compressor, said superheat removing coil and said condenser in closed circuit relation, means for controlling the now of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, a casing having a plurality of walls ing in another of its upright walls disposed substantially at right angles to said one wall, means for circulating air into and out of said casing through said openings, means for spraying water onto said condenser, said superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent said air outlet opening, and said casing inlet and outlet openings being so arranged with respect to one another that air circulating through said casing flows upwardly over said condenser from said inlet opening to be washed by spray water leaving the condenser and is caused to change its direction of fiow and pass horizontally across said superheat removing coil to said outlet opening.

11. In an air conditioning system, an evaporator, a compressor, a first superheat removing coil, a second superheat removing coil and a condenser, refrigerant conducting means connecting said evaporator, said compressor and superheat removing coils and said condenser in closed circuit relation, means for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator, a casing having a plurality of walls enclosing said superheat removing coils and said condenser, said casing having an air inlet opening in one of its upright walls, said casing having a first air outlet opening in a wall thereof disposed substantially at right angles to said one wall, said casing also having a second air outlet opening in another wall thereof disposed substantially at right angles to saidone wall, meansfor circulating air into and out of said casing through said openings, means for spraying water onto said condenser. said first superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent one of said air outlet openings, said second superheat removing coil being disposed adjacent the other of said air outlet openings, said casing inlet and outlet openings being so arranged with respect to one another that air circulating through said casing flows upwardly over said condenser from said inlet opening and is thence caused to be divided and flow horizontally in two oppositely directed stream, one of saidhorizontal streams 01' air passing over said first superheat removing coil to the outlet opening adjacent thereto, and the other of said horizontal streams of air passing over said second superheat removing coil to the outlet opening adjacent thereto.

CHARLES F. HENNEY.

1 REFERENCES CITED v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 438,423 Peregrine Oct. 14, 1890 1,751,999 Hines Mar. 25, 1930 2,100,834 Chapman Nov. 30, 1937 2,111,905 Smith et a1 Mar. 22, 1938 2,175,946 Smith Oct. 10, 1939 2,187,398 Goggins Jan. 16, 1940 2,226,480 Reilly et al Dec. 24, 1940 2,251,649 Wichmann Aug. 5, 1941 2,296,997 Knoy Sept. 29, 1942 2,297,928 Wilson. 1 Oct. 6, 1 942 2,355,289

Gibson IIIIIII. Aug. 8, 1944 

